Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[NotProkofievian]

Who was responsible for whom on the ice.

At the end of the day though, the Dman who is backing up and has the whole ice to survey, should have NEVER, EVER vacated the middle of the ice. I mean Slafkovsky is already engaged with Marner from the offensive zone. He's got him. Mailloux's job 10 times out of 10 there is to protect the middle of the ice.

We can nitpick on what Anderson and/or Gallagher were doing...we can nitpick on Slafkovsky for not "backchecking hard", while simultaneously not rotating his head around 360 degrees to pick up Matthews.

But ultimately...Mailloux has the most blame for this one sequence.

Anything else? or is this charade done?

I think that would have been a really nice thing for Slaf to communicate. It would have been good for Mailloux too, what's good for the goose is good for the gander and all. But here's the thing, in order for Slaf to do that, he has to know Matthews is there. He doesn't, because he doesn't look. This isn't him ''not back checking hard'' as you point out, it's him backchecking too hard if anything. He would've followed Marner into the parking lot.

 

[Captain Mountain]

At the very least it has to be an option. There has to be fluidity there. How long should he be on the 4th line? How much progress would he have to show? If he's good enough to stay on the 4th line but doesn't show any growth there, how long would you allow that to go on for?

My point is that I think the AHL/NHL argument isn't the right argument to have necessarily. Management or even fans shouldn't be locked into one way or another. What you want to see is them accepting the dynamism of the situation as it continues. It shouldn't just be one league or another and that's that.

Management and again the fans should keep both options open as the season progresses. If management doesn't even see the AHL as a potential option at ANY point, that could be a problem.

I would like to remind everyone that, because of Bergevin's cap mismanagement, Montreal needs to be very careful with LTIR and keep an eye on their LTIR Performance Bonus Pool. Because Slafkovsky has so many potential performances bonuses, its hard to have "fluidity" in Slaf's situation.

 

[417]

I think that would have been a really nice thing for Slaf to communicate. It would have been good for Mailloux too, what's good for the goose is good for the gander and all. But here's the thing, in order for Slaf to do that, he has to know Matthews is there. He doesn't, because he doesn't look. This isn't him ''not back checking hard'' as you point out, it's him backchecking too hard if anything. He would've followed Marner into the parking lot.

My guy...he was busy trying to keep up with one of the NHLs shiftiest and best penalty killers through the neutral zone.

You're basically shitting on him because while trying to keep up with Marner, he didn't contort his neck to spin around 360 degrees to cover an oncoming Matthews.

In what scenario does a player who's "backchecking hard ", is also responsible for scanning the protecting the middle of the ice????

He doesn't have to know Matthews is there because, he, like anyone objectively looking at that sequence understands that there are 4 other skaters on the ice, including the one best positioned (Mailloux) who are responsible to cover the late trailer.

You're asking Slafkovsky to be responsible for the puck carrier AND the late trailer.

All because he was drafted 1st overall lol.

My turn to play question time...

If this exact scenario had happened in the AHL with Laval...

Do you think he would have handled it differently simply because he was in the AHL?

What is the purpose of singling him out in this sequence as evidence that he needs to be in the AHL?

If this had happened in the AHL, would you even have noticed?

and if so, would you have advocated he be sent down to the ECHL as a result of it?

 

[NotProkofievian]

That's a strangely toxic way of viewing the play, because Slaf is actually showing more awareness than you're giving him credit for.

Lets say Slaf sees Matthews streaking and pivots harder to protect the middle of the ice. He'd be leaving Mailloux to cover Marner, one of the shiftiest players in the league, one on one when Marner has momentum. He'd also not be able to generate the speed to keep up with Matthews going full speed. Yes, seeing Matthews and protecting the middle of the ice would have been better, but his positioning also forced Marner to make a play behind him which meant Matthews had to slow and pivot to receive the pass with his backhand. If literally any of the other 3 Habs were actually skating to keep up with or chase Matthews then they could have disrupted the pass.

Its just really weird to single out Slaf when his error was not doing the best thing to salvage the situation as opposed the guys that apparently forgot the best goal scorer on the NHL was on the ice.

What awareness? In the video he's fixated on Marner, he has no idea Matthews is even there, he doesn't check once in the entire video. Once Marners button hooks, there's no way he's beating Mailloux one on one, he doesn't have the forward momentum.

Enough with this toxic word, use something spicier like bourgeois and counterrevolutionary. Enemy of the Slafetariat.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I think that would have been a really nice thing for Slaf to communicate. It would have been good for Mailloux too, what's good for the goose is good for the gander and all. But here's the thing, in order for Slaf to do that, he has to know Matthews is there. He doesn't, because he doesn't look. This isn't him ''not back checking hard'' as you point out, it's him backchecking too hard if anything. He would've followed Marner into the parking lot.

Yeah I saw that play. I think you hit it from what I remember. It's not so much he took the wrong guy but you could see he just didn't really track the whole play well.

I think the decision-making is a valid concern at this point.

 

[NotProkofievian]

My guy...he was busy trying to keep up with one of the NHLs shiftiest and best penalty killers through the neutral zone.

You're basically shitting on him because while trying to keep up with Marner, he didn't contort his neck to spin around 360 degrees to cover an oncoming Matthews.

In what scenario does a player who's "backchecking hard ", is also responsible for scanning the protecting the middle of the ice????

He doesn't have to know Matthews is there because, he, like anyone objectively looking at that sequence understands that there are 4 other skaters on the ice, including the one best positioned (Mailloux) who are responsible to cover the late trailer.

You're asking Slafkovsky to be responsible for the puck carrier AND the late trailer.

All because he was drafted 1st overall lol.

I'd like to note that 360 degrees would have him still fixated on Marner, which is the problem in the first place.

 

[waitin425]

My guy...he was busy trying to keep up with one of the NHLs shiftiest and best penalty killers through the neutral zone.

You're basically shitting on him because while trying to keep up with Marner, he didn't contort his neck to spin around 360 degrees to cover an oncoming Matthews.

In what scenario does a player who's "backchecking hard ", is also responsible for scanning the protecting the middle of the ice????

He doesn't have to know Matthews is there because, he, like anyone objectively looking at that sequence understands that there are 4 other skaters on the ice, including the one best positioned (Mailloux) who are responsible to cover the late trailer.

You're asking Slafkovsky to be responsible for the puck carrier AND the late trailer.

All because he was drafted 1st overall lol.

My turn to play question time...

If this exact scenario had happened in the AHL with Laval...

Do you think he would have handled it differently simply because he was in the AHL?

What is the purpose of singling him out in this sequence as evidence that he needs to be in the AHL?

If this had happened in the AHL, would you even have noticed?

and if so, would you have advocated he be sent down to the ECHL as a result of it?

I fail to see how anyone can argue with this.

I'd like to note that 360 degrees would have him still fixated on Marner, which is the problem in the first place.

 

[417]

I'd like to note that 360 degrees would have him still fixated on Marner, which is the problem in the first place.

Marner was his man lol he was engaged with him all the way back from the Leafs defensive zone.

Granted, I've never played hockey, but I've watched a ton in my 40+ years on this earth.

But since when is the player who is tracking back the puck, also responsible for scanning the rest of the ice while doing so?

I mean, you're supposed to have tunnel vision in this scenario...his job was to track down Marner and be aggressive trying to take the puck away from him given we have the man advantage in all areas of the ice.

 

[nhlfan9191]

You've got to be kidding me here......are you ignoring the video evidence and the screen grabs I have posted? What should the other players be doing here. I think you have to take a step back and realize you are looking at every possible reason to confirm you bias towards Slaf while ignoring anyone else's involvement in this play. Joke.

Slaf was floating towards the wrong player on the play you guys are arguing. That was some Drouin level defensive IQ. That said, it’s not uncommon to see those kind of blunders in the preseason when the players are trying to switch on.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Marner was his man lol he was engaged with him all the way back from the Leafs defensive zone.

Granted, I've never played hockey, but I've watched a ton in my 40+ years on this earth.

But since when is the player who is tracking back the puck, also responsible for scanning the rest of the ice while doing so?

I mean, you're supposed to have tunnel vision in this scenario...his job was to track down Marner and be aggressive trying to take the puck away from him given we have the man advantage in all areas of the ice.

You don't say.

 

[417]

You don't say.

Doesn't make my opinion any less valuable than yours even if you played in your local has-been-and-never-was league.

You don't have to have played hockey to understand common sense.

This the second time I have a poster trying to invalidate my take simply because I didn't play hockey growing up lol what a joke.

You don't agree, that's fine...if you don't rate my takes because I didn't play hockey, than expand your ignore list by adding me to it.

WTF lol

 

[waitin425]

Slaf was floating towards the wrong player on the play you guys are arguing. That was some Drouin level defensive IQ. That said, it’s not uncommon to see those kind of blunders in the preseason when the players are trying to switch on.

Cheers! Thanks for engaging! I've moved on from arguing this belabored point. You can see my position over the last several pages. Now I am just dropping stupid gifs and liking everyones posts who I agree with.

GHG!

 

[Captain Mountain]

What awareness? In the video he's fixated on Marner, he has no idea Matthews is even there, he doesn't check once in the entire video. Once Marners button hooks, there's no way he's beating Mailloux one on one, he doesn't have the forward momentum.

Enough with this toxic word, use something spicier like bourgeois and counterrevolutionary. Enemy of the Slafetariat.

And Marner button hooks because of where Slaf is on the ice. And you frankly haven't watched enough of Marner if you don't think he could get around Mailloux in that situation.

I'm also not sure why you think Slaf doesn't know Matthews is there because he doesn't turn his head to check. I'm fairly certain he doesn't know exactly how the play is unfolding because of how he played it, but that doesn't mean he doesn't see or hear Matthews.

If you want me to spice up the language, I'll use actual relevant words and not stuff from the Les Mis playbill. Your fixation on Slaf in this specific play is ignorant and ill-considered. It plays on the worst fan tropes - of focusing on what the camera and highlight is showing you and not what it isn't. It appears you have a bias against Slaf that is so blinding that its forcing people who don't even care about him to challenge you. If you wish to play the role of Robespierre in this play you've concocted then you may do so. But. its. the. ****ing. Pre-Season. Its barely more than practice.

 

[417]

Disclaimer: unqualified opinion from a poster who never played hockey incoming.

Watching that play again...not enough being said about what a smart play that was by Marner, to singlehandedly confuse all 5 players for the Habs on that sequence says more about him than anything else IMO.

But I digress...i'm a just sit back and try to learn from all the former NHLers in here.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Cheers! Thanks for engaging! I've moved on from arguing this belabored point. You can see my position over the last several pages. Now I am just dropping stupid gifs and liking everyones posts who I agree with.

GHG!

I hadn’t refreshed my my page from not that long ago. I didn’t realize how fast this thread was moving. Lol

 

[Captain Mountain]

Disclaimer: unqualified opinion from a poster who never played hockey incoming.

Watching that play again...not enough being said about what a smart play that was by Marner, to singlehandedly confuse all 5 players for the Habs on that sequence says more about him than anything else IMO.

But I digress...i'm a just sit back and try to learn from all the former NHLers in here.

I'd also suggest people look at exactly when Matthews made his move and signaled where he was to Marner.

 

[Pazucha]

NotProkofievian analyzing every Slafkovsky fart

 

[NotProkofievian]

And Marner button hooks because of where Slaf is on the ice. And you frankly haven't watched enough of Marner if you don't think he could get around Mailloux in that situation.

I'm also not sure why you think Slaf doesn't know Matthews is there because he doesn't turn his head to check. I'm fairly certain he doesn't know exactly how the play is unfolding because of how he played it, but that doesn't mean he doesn't see or hear Matthews.

If you want me to spice up the language, I'll use actual relevant words and not stuff from the Les Mis playbill. Your fixation on Slaf in this specific play is ignorant and ill-considered. It plays on the worst fan tropes - of focusing on what the camera and highlight is showing you and not what it isn't. It appears you have a bias against Slaf that is so blinding that its forcing people who don't even care about him to challenge you. If you wish to play the role of Robespierre in this play you've concocted then you may do so. But. its. the. ****ing. Pre-Season. Its barely more than practice.

Yes! Correct. He has done his job, and now it's time to find a new one instead of continuing to chase Marner. I'm giving Slaf the benefit of the doubt by assuming that because he doesn't bother to check, he doesn't know. If he did know Matthews was there, and still said ''eh, f*** it'' that's a different issue.

Robespierre. I like it.

 

[waitin425]

We in here talking about scanning, farts, Les Mis......I love you guys!

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Disclaimer: unqualified opinion from a poster who never played hockey incoming.

Watching that play again...not enough being said about what a smart play that was by Marner, to singlehandedly confuse all 5 players for the Habs on that sequence says more about him than anything else IMO.

But I digress...i'm a just sit back and try to learn from all the former NHLers in here.

Marner is next level at that.

I still think it's a valid point to see how Slaf reacts to that situation in the context of the rest of the game. I saw two other times where the puck was in the air and he looked REALLY lost trying to track it. When a puck goes high it often confuses a lot of players but it was just HOW lost Slaf looked. He was just WAY too shell shocked lol. It didn't look good and I'm a fan.

And when you couple all this with how he kept getting rocked last year, you can't help but see an awareness issue. When you look that lost trying to track what's going on, you can't help but worry about him putting himself in places that could possibly do damage.

As I'm saying all this, I'm really starting to think the AHL might be best for him for now. The play's a bit slower and he could settle in a bit better and hopefully develop these things better and more safely.

I've been mostly positive and bull-ish on him but I'm starting to see the concerns are valid. I don't really want to throw my hat in the ring and dig my heels into any one side on here because I know where that leads but once the regular season starts and the physicality goes up I hope that he doesn't get caught sleeping again. It could be really bad.

 

[417]

I'd also suggest people look at exactly when Matthews made his move and signaled where he was to Marner.

That would force us to look at and focus at the 9 other skaters on the ice though.

Can't have that.

 

[Hannibal]

Jesus… 3 pages debating about a bad scanning/coverage. Way to go guys! So interesting to read lol

Guess what? I’ve seen every dman last season made multiple bad scanning or bad coverage and guess what? They survived and didn’t get send to the AHL.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Yes! Correct. He has done his job, and now it's time to find a new one instead of continuing to chase Marner. I'm giving Slaf the benefit of the doubt by assuming that because he doesn't bother to check, he doesn't know. If he did know Matthews was there, and still said ''eh, f*** it'' that's a different issue.

Robespierre. I like it.

He does stop to chasing Marner. Marner was forced to make a play because of Slaf and Mailloux and the biggest reason Matthews was able to take advantage of that play is that the rest of the unit apparently got lost. The fact that there are only two Habs below the blue paint is the bigger issue than Slaf not having his head on a swivel and perfectly defending against one of the most dangerous duos in the NHL.

Come on my guy, stop cutting off everyone's head.

 

[417]

Marner is next level at that.

I still think it's a valid point to see how Slaf reacts to that situation in the context of the rest of the game. I saw two other times where the puck was in the air and he looked REALLY lost trying to track it. When a puck goes high it often confuses a lot of players but it was just HOW lost Slaf looked. He was just WAY too shell shocked lol. It didn't look good and I'm a fan.

And when you couple all this with how he kept getting rocked last year, you can't help but see an awareness issue. When you look that lost trying to track what's going on, you can't help but worry about him putting himself in places that could possibly do damage.

As I'm saying all this, I'm really starting to think the AHL might be best for him for now. The play's a bit slower and he could settle in a bit better and hopefully develop these things better and more safely.

That's precisely why I prefer he plays in the NHL...but i'm not opposed to a stint in the AHL if his play warrants it (and I don't agree with the sentiment that his play this preseason has warranted it).

I think he's had a good camp and based on his performance at camp, he deserves to start as one of the 12-13 forwards on the team.

That take might change by game 10 of the season though.

I've been mostly positive and bull-ish on him but I'm starting to see the concerns are valid. I don't really want to throw my hat in the ring and dig my heels into any one side on here because I know where that leads but once the regular season starts and the physicality goes up I hope that he doesn't get caught sleeping again. It could be really bad.

There were alway valid concerns...they've just become intertwined with rigid narratives.

I'm also not digging my heels in any specific position other than we have to wait (I know...the horror lol) and I wish that we just let the kid breathe a bit.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

That's precisely why I prefer he plays in the NHL...but i'm not opposed to a stint in the AHL if his play warrants it (and I don't agree with the sentiment that his play this preseason has warranted it).

I think he's had a good camp and based on his performance at camp, he deserves to start as one of the 12-13 forwards on the team.

That take might change by game 10 of the season though.

There were alway valid concerns...they've just become intertwined with rigid narratives.

I'm also not digging my heels in any specific position other than we have to wait (I know...the horror lol) and I wish that we just let the kid breathe a bit.

I think that's what makes it all the more divisive. I think his play has been a net positive so far. What I'm worried about is if that lack of awareness could start to take a toll injury wise. If he keeps putting himself in bad spots.

I feel like it's that much harder to do all that stuff in the NHL. I've seen him look better which is great but I still worry. I feel like he has so many things to work on because he can do so many different things but with that coupled lack of awareness, I think his mind is everywhere all at once.

I think in the AHL he can give himself a bit more breathing room and could round out his game while not trying to keep up with the fastest game in the world. It'll allow himself to be a bit more patient with the puck and get more comfortable being more creative. I have a pretty certain feeling he's overthinking out there a lot. And sure you want to see him deal with that in the NHL and work through it. But taking a bit of a step back and working on some of these more rudimentary things while ALSO trying to get better might be the most advantageous. Most of all I just don't want to see him get hurt which unfortunately I see as a real possibility.

I don't always want to be wrong but I most definitely want to be wrong here. I assure you lol. And would welcome you the opportunity to do your best to reassure me as well haha.